By Aaron Weaver For Chaouki Boulos, learning to love his enemy has been a Christ-celebrating, and life changing, process. And it’s been a 30-year process as Chaouki has shared Christ with anyone willing to listen. Today, he and his wife,…
Former international seminary head John David Hopper dies
By Bob Allen John David Hopper, president of the European-based International Baptist Theological Seminary when the Southern Baptist Convention’s Foreign Mission Board suddenly defunded the school in 1992, died Jan. 10 at age 80. Despite having promised four years before…
Insurance company settles with Missouri Baptist Convention
By Bob Allen The Missouri Baptist Convention has received $5 million in a settlement with the insurance company representing one of five breakaway agencies that moved to self-perpetuating trustee boards in 2000 and 2001. After a dozen years of litigation,…
Cost-effective conference fosters fellowship for busy and financially challenged pastors
By Jeff Brumley Three years in ministry have taught Alina Carbonell some pretty tough lessons about juggling church and family, overseeing both youth and adult members and the fact she can’t share personal struggles with her congregations. “I have discovered…
CBF, Southern Baptists find common ground in Kentucky politics
By Bob Allen The Kentucky Baptist Fellowship, one of 18 state and regional organizations that partner with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and the Southern Baptist Convention-affiliated Kentucky Baptist Convention are on the same team in a broad coalition of faith…
Mohler says fire chief’s firing a win for ‘erotic liberty’
By Bob Allen The firing of Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran highlights “the religious-liberty implications of the normalization of homosexuality and the legalization of same-sex marriage,” Southern Baptist Theological President Albert Mohler said in a podcast briefing Jan. 9. Mohler…
Survey seeks to educate parents, youth ministers on teen texting
By Jeff Brumley Trying to figure out what teens are saying to each other in acronym-heavy text messages can drive parents and youth ministers batty. The lexicon has gone far beyond LOL and ROFL to what often looks like more…
In wake of Paris attack, Al Mohler says West faces religious war
By Bob Allen Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., said in a podcast briefing Jan. 8 that U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) was on target in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt about…
Georgia Baptists stand by fired Atlanta fire chief
By Bob Allen In a press release Jan. 7, the 1.3 million-member Georgia Baptist Convention protested the recent firing of Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran for writing a religious book deemed intolerant toward gays. Earlier, the 3,600-church state affiliate of…
Oklahoma church paves way on interfaith and missions
By Jeff Brumley Last fall, an Oklahoma Guardsman and member of a Baptist church met an Afghan doctor who had just immigrated to the United States after years interpreting for American combat troops. The soldier essentially adopted the Muslim man…
Lobbyist’s wife still missing after six months
By Bob Allen Jan. 7 marked the six-month anniversary of the mysterious disappearance of a Missouri Baptist lobbyist’s wife. Lynn Messer, 52, wife of Missouri Family Network leader Kerry Messer, vanished in the middle of the night July 8 from…
Baptist fire chief fired over anti-gay book controversy
By Bob Allen Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran has been fired over controversy about a Christian-themed book he wrote criticized as promoting discriminatory attitudes against gays. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced the termination in a press conference Jan. 6, Cochran’s…